Catholic services for older people
Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN) is commissioning a study to quantify, assess and understand the scope and nature of the Catholic community delivering services to older people.
The scope of the project will include formal residential care, residential care offered by religious orders to members of their own communities which does not require registration, and formal support services offered at parish and community level within dioceses.
Researchers from Middlesex University will be collecting evidence from CSAN’s member agencies and other Catholic charities and Religious Institutes. The final report is expected to:
· Identify and highlight what is distinctive about Catholic care provision;
· Include projections on the level and range of care which will be required in the next 10 years;
· Assist dioceses in looking at the existing resources for older people within the diocese;
· Help shape the Church’s care in the community through highlighting models of innovative and effective projects;
· Inform development of a CSAN toolkit for enabling laity engagement with older people at parish level.
In addition, a directory of the Catholic community’s provision of services to older people will be launched in summer 2009.
Project update
Researchers at Middlesex University will shortly be circulating a questionnaire to CSAN member organisations and other Catholic charities and religious institutions. We encourage respondents to complete the survey and participate in telephone interviews, where appropriate, in order to provide comprehensive data for this project.
We will continue to provide project updates as it developments.